By Zephyria (END)
After leaving the hospital, Lee-eum pondered where to go before deciding on a pork belly restaurant. Jeong Nam-su had told him it was a new popular spot, frequented by celebrities, and as if to prove it, photos and autographs adorned the walls. Fortunately, it wasn’t crowded today, so he sat down with relief. Afterward, Lee-eum brought Choi Won-joon a red apron.
“Put this on, or your shirt will get splattered with grease.”
Choi Won-joon said he was fine and pushed the apron aside. He wears those lacy things at home even when I tell him to take them off, so I guess he doesn’t like the plain ones. While he was thinking that, the meat arrived, and as soon as the pork belly hit the grill, it sizzled deliciously.
Choi Won-joon, who had been watching, reached out to grill it himself, so Lee-eum handed him the tongs, but he kept flipping the meat before it was even cooked, so Lee-eum took the tongs back.
“Want a drink?”
“I can’t. I have to go back to the station after eating.”
“Hang out with me today.”
“I have a mountain of work.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Choi Won-joon made a phone call.
“Hello, this is Choi Won-joon. How have you been? I’m calling because I have a favor to ask. You know Detective Kim Yi-eum of the Western Police Station Violent Crimes Unit 2, right? Is it okay for him to leave work now? I asked him, but he absolutely refuses.”
Who on earth is he calling? A sense of unease washed over him, and as he reached for the phone, an unexpected name came out of Choi Won-joon’s mouth.
“Thank you, Commissioner. I’ll see you later.”
The call ended abruptly, and Lee-eum stood awkwardly, frozen in place. Not Team Leader Oh, not the police chief, but the Commissioner? The Police Commissioner??? Since when did this guy become someone who could contact the Commissioner? He even had a video of the Commissioner, could it be…
“Are you crazy? How could you call the Commissioner?”
“He’s your superior, Darling.”
He is his superior, but the Police Commissioner and a Police Officer are worlds apart. And after seeing the video of Kim Hak-moon’s corruption, even encountering him was unsettling. Lee-eum looked around cautiously and lowered his voice.
“Did you threaten the Commissioner with the video I gave you?”
Choi Won-joon said no, and Lee-eum wanted to ask something he’d been curious about for a while. He had videos of various people’s corruption, but was my father among them? My father always claimed to be clean and honest, but who knows. Until I knew the truth, the Police Commissioner was someone Lee-eum respected.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I wanted to ask you something…”
“What is it?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Lee-eum spoke with difficulty.
“The videos… do you have one of my father?”
Choi Won-joon shook his head. No. Is he hiding it because he’s afraid I’ll be hurt? Lee-eum looked at him suspiciously, but Choi Won-joon ordered more alcohol. He poured soju into Lee-eum’s glass, but Lee-eum’s gaze remained fixed on Won-joon.
“Are you sure you don’t have one?”
“Yeah.”
“I won’t be shocked, so tell me honestly.”
Won-joon fiddled with his glass before speaking.
“Actually, because your father hated me, I tried to find dirt on him by hiring people. But damn it, there wasn’t even a speck of dirt to be found.”
Choi Won-joon looked annoyed. He didn’t seem relieved that there wasn’t a video, but rather disappointed, which was absurd. He downed his soju in one gulp and crooked one corner of his mouth.
“If there had been a video, I would have blackmailed him into letting us get married.”
Lee-eum burst out laughing.
“Is marriage a child’s game? There’s an order to things. We’re not even officially dating, so why are you playing the drum and trumpet all by yourself?”
“If I asked you to officially date me, would you?”
Lee-eum opened and closed his mouth. Considering all the things they’d done together, it was almost laughable that he was just now bringing up dating.
“Is that a rejection?”
“……”
“If you reject me, I’ll run out and get hit by a car.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Yeah, I’m crazy about you. So answer me clearly. Is that a rejection?”
Instead of answering, Lee-eum gulped down his drink, and Choi Won-joon wrapped some meat in lettuce and offered it to him.
“I’m okay. I’ll eat it myself.”
“My arm’s going to fall off.”
Reluctantly, Lee-eum took it and ate it, and Choi Won-joon smiled contentedly.
“I took out the garlic. Just in case we go straight to having sex.”
Lee-eum frowned and glared at him before grilling some meat and placing it in front of Choi Won-joon. He gave him the well-cooked pieces and ate the burnt ones himself. He had been worried that Choi Won-joon wouldn’t like pork belly, but he ate it well. He said the soju was delicious too.
Lee-eum knew that even though he always seemed to do whatever he wanted, Choi Won-joon was subtly accommodating and caring for him. Choi Won-joon kept pouring and drinking, and Lee-eum, worried, tried to stop him.
“Don’t drink too much. If you get drunk again today, I’m leaving you behind.”
“Then wrap me a lettuce wrap too.”
Lee-eum reluctantly wrapped one. He instinctively reached for the garlic, then hesitated and quietly put it back down, and Choi Won-joon smiled with his chin propped up.
“You’re so sly. You said you wouldn’t.”
Lee-eum was tempted to add the garlic out of spite, but Choi Won-joon gestured for him to hurry up and give it to him. Reluctantly, he brought the wrap to his mouth, but just then, the door opened, and the entrance became noisy.
Lee-eum carelessly turned his head and froze with his hand outstretched. Team Leader Oh, Jeong Nam-su, and the rest of the team were entering the restaurant. As if to show off, Choi Won-joon took the wrap and ate it in one bite, and Nam-soo turned around and tried to leave in a hurry.
“Team Leader! I suddenly want to eat seafood stew. How about seafood stew?”
“Oh, sure. Let’s go eat seafood stew.”
“Huh? Isn’t that Detective Kim?”
“No, it’s someone who looks like him. Let’s go, quickly.”
“It is him, who’s Detective Kim with?”
“I said get out, you bastards.”
Watching them disappear in an instant, Lee-eum’s complexion turned pale. Should I go after them and explain? But that would be even stranger. Choi Won-joon, oblivious to his burning heart, swallowed the wrap and smiled.
“It tastes better when you wrap it for me.”
“Didn’t you see our team members just now…?”
“I saw them. They all have good sense. They knew to get out of the way.”
Damn it. Lee-eum sighed and rubbed his face, and then a message arrived from Jeong Nam-su.
“Stop worrying and drink. Let’s drink and go home.”
❖ ❖ ❖
@Tachi
After they both drank enough to get tipsy, they called a designated driver and returned, but Lee-eum didn’t go home and, as usual, went to the convenience store to buy ice cream. He handed one to Choi Won-joon, who suddenly took it and headed to the playground. He sat on the swing, and Lee-eum took a seat next to him.
“Don’t ask me to push you today. I don’t have the energy.”
“Then can I go on the slide?”
Lee-eum firmly said no. After Choi Won-joon got stuck in the slide, a warning sign was posted saying that adult men were not allowed to use it. Then, feeling mischievous, he played the video he had received from Roh Seon-gyu. It was Choi Won-joon stuck in the slide and crying.
Choi Won-joon watched it and smiled happily.
“It’s cute no matter how many times I see it.”
“I don’t think you feel any shame at all.”
“Tell me. You didn’t do anything lewd while watching this, did you?”
“What do you take me for!”
“Kim Yi-eum’s Yi stands for lewd,”
“Shut up.”
“Why are you hitting the chicken?”
Lee-eum made a disgusted face. Even when he teased him for making jokes that his father would make, Choi Won-joon didn’t care at all and acted shamelessly. He sucked on his ice cream and swung his feet, making the swing move back and forth. The moment he tilted his head back, a round, large full moon came into view.
“Wow, the moon is big.”
“Should we make a wish?”
“Do you have a wish, President?”
Choi Won-joon put his hands together as if to show off and looked up at the sky.
“If you let me marry Kim Yi-eum, I won’t commit any sins and will live a good life forever.”
“……”
“You make a wish too.”
Lee-eum deliberately stared at Choi Won-joon and said clearly.
“Please get rid of all the bad guys in the world.”
Ugh! Choi Won-joon clutched his neck and pretended to fall to the side before smiling softly.
“Oh. It seems I’m not a bad guy to you since I’m not dead and still fine. That’s why we’re destined to be together.”
“I didn’t know you were romantic enough to believe in fate.”
“Then what’s the real wish of the rational Detective Kim?”
After hesitating, Lee-eum put his hands together and closed his eyes tightly. Please let Choi Won-joon, who is next to me, live a good life without committing any sins. After praying in his heart, he opened his eyes, and Choi Won-joon was already standing in front of him. The look in his eyes as he looked down at him was deeper than usual.
“What did you wish for?”
“World peace.”
“As expected. You’re so cool.”
Choi Won-joon held out his hand.
“Let’s hold hands and go home. That’s my second wish.”
Lee-eum cautiously reached out his hand. He grabbed it and pulled him up, then intertwined their fingers tightly. Lee-eum tried to pull away when someone walked in front of them, but Choi Won-joon didn’t let go.
Lee-eum soon gave up and let Choi Won-joon do as he pleased. A breeze blew, and he could faintly smell his pheromone scent. He didn’t dislike it, so he moved a little closer, and Choi Won-joon noticed and smiled. Today, that smile tickled his heart.
『Main Story of Mangjong (The Vanished) END』